Page 61 of Crossroads of Love

“That’s not…” She buries her face in her hands again. “She’s never done any of this before. It’s not like her.”

“You said it yourself. She lost two really important people to her. She’s never been through this. Most grown adults wouldn’t handle this well. She’s still a child. What matters right now is how you handle it all. What’s your next move?”

“I’m taking the keys to the truck because she drove drunk. I’m also taking her cell phone.”

“Those are all good. For how long?”

“Forever.”

“No.” I chuckle with a shake of my head. “You have to give her a timeframe, or the bad behavior will continue because she doesn’t have a clear goalpost in sight.”

Lena looks back at me with wide eyes. “I’ll take them both for a month.”

“Give her the option of earning them back sooner with good behavior.”

“But…”

“It’s her first offense, right? There’s no need to go balls to the wall with punishments when it’s her first bad behavior. Strict parenting is warranted in some situations, but not this one. Wake her up tomorrow morning with loud noise or music, then sit down and talk with her. Remain calm regardless of how she starts acting. Tell her what she did was wrong and that you won’t accept that behavior from her. Tell her that you love her and that she’s a good kid who made a bad decision, but it doesn’t define her. It might be a good idea to get her to talk to someone who’s not a friend or family member.”

“Pastor Will offered to talk to her. I looked into getting a therapist for her.”

“There’s nothing wrong with that. I talk to one regularly.”

I suck in a quick breath. That came out without me meaning for it to. I’m not embarrassed about it, but it’s not somethingI’ve ever told anyone before. Her eyes shoot up to mine at the admission. She nods before looking back down at the floor again.

“How do you know all of this? You’re not…”

“A parent?”

“Yeah.”

“I was a teenage boy once, though, if you’ll remember.” I chuckle dryly as I shrug. “I guarantee the majority of this town thought I’d be in prison and not a successful day trader.”

“I remember.”

“I’ve been in counseling for a long time, but I also volunteer with at-risk kids. I’ve fostered some, too. It took a lot of wrong answers before I got the right ones. I made a lot of friends with social workers, mentors, and therapists who helped me help the kids I work with.”

“I…didn’t know that.”

“Most people don’t. I don’t do it for the clout. I have a kid that I’m kind of a big brother to named Collin. He’s struggled with something similar. I think I was the most mad at Dad for his stipulation because Collin is back in the city without me.”

I blow out a long breath. I guess I’m going to keep confessing things to her that I normally would keep to myself. I’m not sure if this is growth or she just has that effect on me.

“I’m sorry, maybe he can come here to visit. Thanks for this…for being here and keeping me sane. If you weren’t here, I would have lost my shit on her, and…”

“I know. I remember Dad doing the same the first time I came home drunk. Looking back now, I know it was out of fear and his own guilt and grief, but at the time, I didn’t know that.”

She nods slowly. I can see that she wants to say something but doesn’t. She won’t look me in the eye, and she’s fidgeting nervously.

She’s overwhelmed and doesn’t know how to feel about this.

“I should probably get to bed,” she states as she stands quickly.

I grab her wrist as she moves away from me. “You’re doing a good job with her. And we’re not doing anything wrong, Lena. Maybe it feels that way, but it’s not wrong. You deserve to be happy.”

Her eyes are wet as she glances up at me and then looks away quickly. She doesn’t say anything as she pulls away from me. I want to hold her forever, to stay the night and never leave her again, but I know that things are different with Jayla involved. Lena needs to be able to trust again, and that takes time.

I grab my jacket and head for the door, pausing just before I step outside. “Lena,” I say quietly as I turn back to face her. “If this… if me being around is too much for you and Jayla, just say the word. I don’t want to make things harder for you.”

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